43

The days following Isis’ breakdown were hard to watch. She barely spoke and spent most of her time secluding herself away from everyone. Gage allowed her space to gather her thoughts. He needed the separation too, to think about what he was going to do from now, going forward.

Gage had two paths to choose from. He could open his heart again and leave himself open to love, or he could continue the road to self-destruction. In Isis’s turmoil, he was seeing how she wasn’t the only one in pain. He had to deal with his past and let go of the hurt. It was the only way he was ever going to move forward. Gage decided the one thing was in the way of him, and Isis’s happiness was his need for control. He was hurting the one person in his entire life he trusted to love him.

In the next few weeks, he didn’t hide the fact he and Isis were in a relationship once they went back on the road. It was up to him to decide if it was going to be real or just a facade. To Isis’s surprise, Gage had seemed to open to her more. He convinced her to make up with Wraith and talked to the brothers, convincing them the relationship with Isis wasn’t just sex. He didn’t get into details but let them know they were involved and taking things slow.

Once Isis had calmed down, there was still the sexually dominant side of the relationship they explored. Isis was discovering her sexuality in the process and even allowed herself to admit to him she had secretly fantasized about being submissive for years. It was something neither of them wanted to relinquish. It even seemed to become special to their growing connection.

Gage enjoyed showing her off when they were in public. He was proud of Isis, but it felt like he was just pretending most of the time. What he wanted was to have a genuine relationship. Even though they knew it was part of the game they played, it was feeling empty.

The women who surrounded him with Justice instantly stopped once Gage saw what he wanted. He asked his boss to go forward with the on-stage storyline of a budding romance between Isis and himself.

She loved that the storyline made it seem like they were learning to fall in love with each other. She would picture in her mind it to be true. As soon as the cameras were off, she realized it was just not real. She was feeling as if his loving her was just a pipe dream. He still refused to kiss her, and it was affecting her emotionally.

Backstage at a live taping of the show, Gage had just finished a promo and was changing into his ring gear.

“Isis, did you pack your bags as I asked?”

She went over, helping him tape his hands. “Yes, are we going somewhere?”

“Yep, just the two of us. This thing has worked out well between us these last few weeks. I want to treat you to something special.”

He looked at her, expecting her response, knowing she hated the gift idea. She rolled her eyes and got up to walk away.

“We agreed, no treating me like a pet. No reward for good behavior. By the way, your little punishment yesterday was a tad much. My ass is still sore. I know I snuck out again on my own and you had a bad day. I needed some fresh air. I think spanking is hot sometimes, but last night was not okay. Don’t get pissed off at work and take it out on me, then have sex. I don’t like that. Got it!”

“I told you I was sorry. The spanking was too intense last night. I like it the nights we do it as a fun, playful thing more. It seemed sexier and sweeter. Honestly, I don’t even want to do that again. It felt like I am degrading you and I don’t like that feeling. Same as making you sit at my feet again last night. I don’t know what got into me.”

“What are you saying?” Isis turned back to him.

His behavior lately had seemed strange.

“I don’t know. It just doesn’t feel right. I thought that was what I wanted, but I don’t know anymore. I’m stressed and you're right. I took it out on you,” he sighed in frustration with himself.

“Are you getting sick of me, Gage?” She sat back down and continued wrapping his hands with the sports tape.

“No, baby. That’s not it. I just have been thinking a lot. I enjoy the more intimate moments with us rather than being dominant all the time. That’s fun and all, but maybe I need more.” He got up and smoothed over the tape. “Be ready when I get out of the ring. I’ll shower and we’ll get on the jet.”

He left the room, leaving her worried and confused.

Was he getting sick of her? What did he mean, he needed more?

***

On the plane, she sat silently, looking out the window. She didn’t understand where they were heading.

“Isis, I guess you are wondering where we are going?”

“I assume I'm out of the country since I had to have my passport. Are you selling me to some sex ring or something? Sorry. That wasn’t funny. I’m confused right now.” Isis looked back out the window.

“No, but keep up with that attitude, I might,” Gage chuckled. “I would tell you, but I want it to be a surprise. Sleep on the plane to avoid jet lag when we arrive. We will go to a hotel as soon as we land. I want to blindfold you, so it’ll be a surprise. Don’t be scared. I think you’re going to love this. I want to pamper you on this trip and you never let me. I’ve not insisted on it as I would have normally. I know you feel it is like being a dog getting a treat. You opened my eyes to that. I want to do this for you out of kindness, not as a reward.”

“I promise to take it graciously,” she beamed. Isis got up and went to his side of the plane to sit on his lap. “What did you mean earlier about needing more? Are you getting sick of me?” Isis hoped that wasn’t the case.

Gage snuggled her to his chest and played with a strand of her hair. “I just meant that I feel like this submissive and Dominant thing is not what I was looking for. I thought it was because I convinced myself of it. Maybe I felt out of control. In the last couple of weeks, I was enjoying just being with you. Until last night, we were just a couple in a relationship. Maybe not a real one, but a couple, nonetheless. I guess sometimes I miss what that feels like. Normalcy is what I miss. The control thing has never been about me wanting to take over someone. When you said those things the night I upset you, I felt like my control issues were killing your spirit. I never wanted to do that. I just want to feel like a man in a relationship. I guess I have been getting that confused with dominance.”

“Are you saying you don’t want me to be your submissive anymore?”

She looked down at her hands, realizing that it had somehow become special to her. Isis liked how it made her feel. Like she was a needed and desirable woman.

“What I am saying is I think we need to reevaluate things. I don’t want to talk about it right now. We have plenty of time in the next few days to do that. I just want to pamper my woman.”

He took her hand in his, kissing her fingertips, hoping that would be the end of the conversion until Isis proved otherwise. He should have realized she never let a conversion go.

“Your woman? So, this almost fake relationship? Where does that statement fit in? Am I your woman or is this all just make-believe? You just said that it was not an actual relationship.” She looked seriously into his eyes.

“It’s not, is it? Think about it. Me, dominating you. You, bowing down to me like a servant girl, even when I don’t ask you to. Is this a relationship you want? Because to be real here, I don’t feel like this is what I want it to be. I thought it was, but now... maybe the old me is having a voice again. The old Gage sure as hell doesn’t like who I am right now. Isis, I am not shutting you out. It’s just a new chapter. If you’ll be patient, I think you will see on this trip that things need to change; for the betterment of both of us.”

He caressed her cheek, and she agreed. She would just have to see how things played out.